Spotting Rental Fraud, From Both Sides
Rental fraud hurts landlords and tenants alike. Scammers copy real listings to collect deposits for homes they don't own, and some applicants use forged documents to get keys. A few habits protect you from both.
Protect your listing
- Use one clear listing link and share it yourself, so tenants can tell your ad from a copy.
- Watch for copies. Search for your listing's photos and wording now and then. Report copies to the site they're on.
- Show the unit in person before anyone pays anything, and say so in the ad. Genuine tenants will expect it.
Check the applicant
- Look at documents closely. Pay stubs, letters and IDs that don't match each other, or that come only as low-quality screenshots, deserve a second look.
- Call references on numbers you find yourself, for example a previous landlord's number from public records or a company's main line, rather than the number on the application.
- Ask every applicant for the same information, and keep it within what Ontario's human rights rules allow. See our post on screening tenants fairly.
Take payment safely
- Don't hand over keys until the first payment has actually cleared, not just been promised.
- Be wary of overpayments followed by a request to send back the difference. It's a classic scam.
- Give a receipt for every payment, and keep a record of what was paid, when and how.
If something feels wrong
Stop, and take your time. Real tenants can wait a day for you to check. If you think you've been targeted, report it to your local police and the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre.